Bukayo Saka was absent for Arsenal’s Premier League finale against Everton on Sunday at the Emirates.
Usually, the 22-year-old is ever-reliable for Mikel Arteta’s side and almost always available for his manager and team.
But in what is Arsenal’s biggest game in decades, Bukayo Saka is absent and it’s a gut-wrenching feeling for the fans and everyone associated with the club.
The Premier League title is on the line, with the Gunners needing to win and Manchester City having to drop points at home to West Ham United in order to become champions.
Yes, Saka has probably been their main guy going forward this term. He has 16 Premier League goals to his name and is their top-scorer.
But if the Gunners are to do the unthinkable, then they will have to do it without their star boy.
When this news broke, the response was pretty simple from Thierry Henry and he used Kevin de Bruyne as an example.
The legendary striker pointed out that the Manchester City star was out of action for several months this season through injury, but then the likes of Phil Foden stepped up, as he told Premier League Productions (19/05/24 at 3:10 pm).
Henry thinks other Arsenal players now need to stick their chest out and prove their worth if they are to get over the line.
But, of course, the worst thing about all of this is Arsenal can still beat Everton. In fact, they can thump them, but they still probably won’t become Premier League title winners.
Bukayo Saka absent for Arsenal against Everton
“No, we don’t know what happened and what’s happening with Bukayo, I hope it’s nothing really bad,” said Henry.
“But today is about trying to win the game without Bukayo, it’s about trying to find a way to win the game and wait. It’s the worst situation ever. Whatever you can do and the run Arsenal has been on, you still have to wait on what’s going to happen up north.
“I know Bukayo isn’t playing and I hope he is okay. But we need to find a way to win games. We are talking about Arsenal, but I wanted to add something about Man City. Kevin de Bruyne missed a lot of games. 14 starts only this year. Ten assists. But Phil Foden came or whoever. Ortega the other day. I always say talent will win you games, but team effort and work ethic will win you titles. That’s all it is. It doesn’t matter who or whatever you want to talk about, this is why Bukayo isn’t playing, okay, someone needs to come with something.”
The Premier League title goes to the final day
On one hand, Arteta can take some positives that Arsenal have taken the Premier League title race to the final day of the season.
But on the other, if they lose out again, then for the second season running, they will feel powerless in trying to stop the trophy-winning machine that is Manchester City.
READ MORE: BBC pundit says Mikel Arteta has made everyone change their minds about one Arsenal player
In truth, Arsenal can do nothing but pick themselves up again and take inspiration from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
They went back-to-back seasons by giving it all, yet had zero titles to call for. But, they didn’t stop and, in the end, they ended their 30-year hurt to become champions.
Perhaps, for Arsenal, it’s a case of when it will happen, not if and it’s just a case of carry on believing because their much-wanted title is around the corner.
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